Overall Rating: 5/5

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Bovada Sportsbook

Review By Dev Ops

Bovada.lv is one of the top sportsbooks in the world for NFL betting and is exclusively for US-based sports gamblers. Not surprisingly, their betting markets are heavily focused on US sports, meaning NFL bettors will have a bevy of betting options. They have long been a leading player in these markets and are one of, if not, the most trusted site for US online sports bettors.

Why we hate em

Reliable and Professional Company

Bovada was established in late 2011 to absorb Bodog’s US clients as the online sportsbook, casino and poker giant left the US market. Bettors may have been apprehensive with the change in the beginning, but their fears were quickly quelled as the transition was seamless and Bovada’s operations did not miss a beat. The color scheme, markets and features remained the same or were upgraded.

Bovada, including their time as Bodog have over ten years of experience in the online gambling industry and have an excellent track record. Currently, the company operates in Kahnawake, Canada and is owned by the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group. They are licensed and regulated in the Indian Territory by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

Support

Not only does Bovada offer quick cashouts, their support is some of the best around. Though they do not offer live chat, they have 24/7 phone and email support. Bovada responds to emails quickly even during off hours. Though they quote a response time of 24 hours, from my experience support is usually much faster. I’ve emailed them at 3 am and had a response in just over an hour. It is reassuring to know that the team at Bovada cares about their players and responds to support tickets as quickly as possible.

Deposit and Withdrawal Options

Bovada doesn’t have a massive list of deposit and withdrawal options for players, but enough methods for most players to easily get money online either instantly or within 1-2 days, depending on their choice of deposit.

Credit cards are the preferred method of most bettors because of accessibility (most everyone has a credit card) and deposits are instant. Limits on credit deposits are $2,500 per day, $5,000 per week and $10,000 per month.

Rapid transfer is the other method, which can be sent via Western Union or MoneyGram. Most people are familiar with these peer-to-peer money transfer services. These can be sent online or through thousands of locations across the country. This involves contacting a Bovada agent via phone and sending to a specific name given by Bovada support. The transfers are usually picked up within 24 hours and credited to your account quickly.

This method can come with hefty fees, but Bovada will reimburse all transaction fees for deposits over $300, so it pays to deposit at least this amount. The maximum amount per transaction via Rapid Transfer is $900.

Withdrawals at Bovada are the fastest for US-facing sportsbooks. Check withdrawals arrive within one to two weeks and have a maximum amount of $3,000 per check. Bettors will receive one check per calendar month, but additional checks will come with a $50 fee.

Customers can also cashout via Rapid Transfer. This method is much faster than check withdrawals and only takes a few business days to hit bettors. The flip-side is that fees can be expensive. Depending on whether bettors go with WU or MoneyGram, fees can range from anywhere between $20 up to $150 dollars per transaction. The higher the amount of the withdrawal the more fees assessed.

Finally, bank wires are available for withdrawal, as well. These come with a $50 fee and players will likely be charged additional fees from their bank. The maximum amount per withdrawal is $7,500, and bank wires take about three to four weeks to reach player accounts. I personally would not recommend this method as it is much more expensive than checks (with added personal banking fees) and takes a lot longer.

Great For Underdogs, Easy to Find Value

Bovada’s lines are certainly geared towards recreational bettors, and let’s call a spade a spade and call them losing bettors. Heavily bet public games will often be shaded on the side of the favorite which leads to plenty of alluring underdog lines for more experienced bettors. The same can be said for the over on totals, making unders more enticing, as well.

Bovada figures that most of their customers are losing NFL bettors, and they are right. This leads to competitive odds across the board, and players can often “beat the market” and find the best odds closer to game time, more so than at other sites.

Why isn’t everyone taking Bovada for big money then? Well, for one they are quick to limit bettors who start beating them for big bucks. Secondly, their limits on NFL sides and totals are not exactly large in the online sports betting world. They accept $2,000 per side online and $5,000 via phone wagering. Proposition and future wager max bets can vary, but they are normally around $500. The minimum bet amount for online betting on all markets at Bovada is $1.00.

NFL Markets Available

Bovada’s NFL markets can match or exceed most every other sportsbook online. They have extensive yearlong markets, such as season win totals and other season-long player and team props. The book also excels at futures, with updated odds all season long.

Divisional futures are one market that some US-facing books do not have, and I find this to be a massive drawback when I look at NFL futures markets. Luckily, Bovada offers these all season long. Of course, Super Bowl, AFC & NFC Championship futures are available, as well.

Each Sunday the board is filled with an extensive number of NFL player and team prop bets. Primetime games will normally have a larger number of these props available, but every game will at least have a few. There are easily over one hundred props available each week for bettors.

Bovada genuinely stands out with their live betting interface. It is easily the best live betting option for US sports bettors and is one of the best live betting experiences on the internet. There are loads of options from betting on individual plays to the outcome of a drive and more.

Bet Types

Bovada offers the normal slate of betting options to bettors, such as parlays, teasers, round-robins and more. They offer teasers from 6 to 7 points and have excellent 2-team and 3-team odds at -110 and +165, respectively. 4-team parlays at Bovada are also much better than the industry standard. Most sportsbooks offer 12/1 on 4-team parlay bets, but Bovada gives players 16/1 making it one the best spots online to bet parlays.

Lots of Other Betting Markets

While Bovada is exclusive to US bettors, they have an extensive betting menu that offers domestic and international competitions. Other than the NFL, the NBA, NHL and MLB have the most markets and options, but there are betting options for a number of worldwide domestic soccer leagues, mixed martial arts, golf, tennis, boxing, rugby, cricket and more. Political and entertainment bets are also offered.

Bovada also offers players a full Vegas style online casino and an online poker room from the same account. I love playing some poker or online blackjack while watching a sweat on a game.

Free Bet Bonus

Bovada offers newly depositing players a 50% Free Bet Bonus up to $250. To take advantage of the maximum amount this bonus offers, bettors should deposit $500. The bonus rollover at Bovada is one of the lowest in the industry at 4x the amount of the deposit and bonus. The book also offers many seasonal promotions related to NFL wagering. It is best to keep your eye on the promotions page at Bovada.lv to be on the lookout for new bonuses and promos.

Bovada is a Top Choice

It is hard not to love Bovada for not only NFL betting, but as one of the top sportsbooks in the world. Competitive pricing and a massive list of markets make it a profitable spot to bet the NFL all year long, along with other sports. I have money at a number of offshore books, but I keep the most at Bovada because I trust them much more than the rest. It is not that I don’t have faith in the others – it’s just that Bovada’s illustrious history and betting options are extremely hard to beat.

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